BIG NEWS: INFRASTRUCTURAL LEVY COLLECTION IN ABIA STATE IS ILLEGAL - APPEAL COURT

In Appeal No. CA/ OW/ 199/2016 : Mrs Pamela N. Nwaugo & 7 Ors vs. Chief Judge of Abia state & 7 Ors, the Court held that by the interpretation of the instant laws, especially as it affects the Approved List of Taxes Act, that the Abia state government has no power to collect development levies.

The court of appeal also held that the Chief Judge of Abia state has no power to set up Revenue courts in Abia state to try those that fail to pay Infrastructural Development Levies and that the courts were illegal.

The Appeal court also condemned the act of the Abia state Chief Judge who, in the face of the case of Pamela Nwaugo in which he is a party, continued to setup Revenue court to collect the said Infrastructural levy.

There was previously a court of appeal judgment that dealt partially with this matter but the govt tried to distinguish, saying that the appeal court did not deal with the amended law.

Right now, the Court of Appeal has settled this matter and shot down the law. (AbiaPulse)